domenica 12 giugno 2011

Carlos Checa claims double win in Misano






Carlos Checa has continued his 2011 title blitz, winning race one and two of World Superbike's sixth round at Misano ahead of Max Biaggi and Marco Melandri.
WSBK Misano Race Two

1 7 C. CHECA ESP
2 1 M. BIAGGI ITA
3 41 N. HAGA JPN
4 86 A. BADOVINI ITA
5 91 L. HASLAM GBR
6 84 M. FABRIZIO ITA
7 50 S. GUINTOLI FRA
8 111 R. XAUS ESP
9 17 J. LASCORZ ESP
10 77 C. VERMEULEN AUS
11 57 L. LANZI ITA
12 44 R. ROLFO ITA
13 58 E. LAVERTY IRL
14 66 T. SYKES GBR
RET 121 M. BERGER FRA
RET 96 J. SMRZ CZE
RET 15 M. BAIOCCO ITA
RET 33 M. Melandri ITA
DNS 11 T. Corser Aus
Race Two
Checa blitzed the field under sunny race conditions to take a double after a crash for Marco Melandri brought out the red flag just 10 laps into the second race. That set up a 14 lap sprint in the second leg, with Checa charging ahead of Max Biaggi and Noriyuki Haga to take the race.
Suffering from his practice crash, Troy Corser pulled out of race one early and never made the grid for race two, while fellow Aussie Mark Aitchison slipped to 16th with a mechanical issue in race one before retiring on lap six of race two.
The third Australian in the field, Chris Vermeulen, had a difficult run to 14th in race one before completing race two for the first time in 2011 a stellar 10th place.
Checa now leads the championship on 245 points from Biaggi on 173. Melandri's crash sees him slip to 23 points adrift of his compatriot on 150 points.
WSBK Misano Race One

1 7 Checa, C ESP
2 1 Biaggi, M ITA
3 33 Melandri, M ITA
4 66 Sykes, T GBR
5 58 Laverty, E IRL
6 2 Camier, L GBR
7 50 Guintoli, S FRA
8 86 Badovini, A ITA
9 17 Lascorz, J ESP
10 121 Berger, M FRA
11 111 Xaus, R ESP
12 15 Baiocco, M ITA
13 53 Polita, A ITA
14 77 Vermeulen, C AUS
15 57 Lanzi, L ITA
RET 8 Aithichison, M AUS
RET 44 Rolfo, R ITA
RET 91 Haslam, L GBR
RET 11 Corser, T AUS
RET 41 Haga, N JPN
RET 96 Smrz, J CZE
RET 84 Fabrizio, M ITA

Race One
The Spaniard had to get a lift back to Parc Ferme from fellow Spaniard Ruben Xaus after stalling his bike during the celebration lap.
It was the second week in a row Checa has had difficulty celebrating a race one win after crashing in the mud at Miller post-race.
With Jonathon Rea absent from 11th on the grid following a crash in the morning warm-up, Tom Sykes led the World Superbike field off the line at his home race, at least until turn four when compatriot Leon Haslam pounced.
Despite starting seventh on the grid, reigning champion Max Biaggi barged to the lead on lap two ahead of Haslam on the BMW who would only make it to lap nine before he was ejected from his bike in a frightening high-side.
Michele Fabrizio never made it past lap two, the Italian crashing out at the tight hairpin while Jakub Smrz’s run came to an end on lap three, the Czech rider high-siding out of the final turn in front of the field and lucky not to be hit.
Troy Corser and Noriyuki Haga were the next retirements, Haga pulling off track with a mechanical issue while Corser was still suffering the effects of his massive crash in practice.
Current points leader Carlos Checa reeled in and passed reigning champion Biaggi on lap 12 as the two raced a battle of their own at the front.
Checa edged out a small margin when Biaggi ran wide with nine laps to go, and from there was never really challenged for the win, coming home 1.6 seconds clear of Biaggi with Melandri a further 14 seconds behind.
Australian Mark Aitchison got as high 12th before a mechanical issue ended his solid run just three laps from home, while Chris Vermeulen in his first real return to World Superbike in 2011 managed to get home for 14th as Aitchison limped across the line for 16th, one lap down.

(foxsports.com)

MISANO (Rimini) domenica 12 giugno 2011 – Max Biaggi stringe i denti, soffre per la microfrattura alla cartilagine dell'astragalo del piede sinistro ma non può nulla contro Carlos Checa che domina anche a Misano e vola alla conquista della Superbike. La Ducati ha dominato con il 38enne spagnolo la sesta prova (su tredici) del Mondiale a Misano compiendo un altro passo verso l'iride: per Checa si tratta infatti dell'ottavo trionfo in stagione, 13° della carriera. La marca italiana raggiunge quota 299 successi in 576 gare iridate.

Carlos Checa. Alex Photo
gara 1 — Nella prima gara Biaggi era scattato benissimo dalla seconda fila prendendo il comando al secondo giro. Ma Checa, quarto all'inizio, è stato implacabile, ha annullato in fretta il secondo di divario e prima di metà gara ha compiuto, con facilità, il sorpasso decisivo. Podio completato da Marco Melandri (Yamaha) giunto terzo, ma con un ritardo abissale, più di 18 secondi.
gara 2 — È stata fermata al decimo dei ventiquattro giri per la scivolata di Melandri volato sull'olio. Poco dopo la corsa è ripartita da zero per completare la distanza senza Melandri impossibilitato a riportare la Yamaha in griglia nei cinque minuti regolamentari. Lo stop non ha cambiato nulla: Biaggi è ripartito davanti, ma Checa lo ha braccato senza pietà finchè Max non ha commesso un errore alla curva del Tramonto spalancando la porta al più forte. A sette round dalla fine (quattordici gare) Carlito sale a 245 punti guadagna ulteriore terreno sugli inseguitori italiani: Biaggi 173 punti, Melandri 150. Domenica c'è il GP di Spagna, ma la stagione sembra già segnata. Paolo Gozzi©

(gazzetta .it)